A six-year veteran, Davis tore an Achilles’ tendon while playing under the franchise tag in 2012. He re-signed with Washington on a one-year deal in 2013, but he was inactive for six games and started only three.

In 2011, Davis served a four-game suspension under the substance-abuse policy. A six-game suspension suggests that Davis remained in Stage Two of the program following his 2011 violation.

Broncos linebacker Von Miller served a six-game suspension to start the 2013 season as a negotiated compromise to an effort to suspend Miller much longer than that, based on allegations that he conspired with the sample collector to generate negative test results.

With or without the suspension, Davis isn’t expected to attract major attention in free agency. A team could choose to bring him in for the offseason program, training camp, and the preseason, confident that the preparation will make it easier to adapt after the suspension ends.

It’s unclear whether Davis a filed an appeal, and when a ruling is expected. Before the suspension is finalized, any information about a player’s status in the substance-abuse program is supposed to be kept confidential.

I hope that our FO do not take any chances on any player with any issues - they're not worth it and they NEVER learn ...

I know that limits the 'field' but I'm happy with that ... good character guys are better in the long run

it's a team game and having stupid players will not make you a better team

Let's be honest, nobody really expects the Redskins to do well. The Redskins average under 8 wins a season It's not the players or the coaches fault. It's time to get rid of Bruce Allen & change the way we manage this franchise

I hope that our FO do not take any chances on any player with any issues - they're not worth it and they NEVER learn ...

I know that limits the 'field' but I'm happy with that ... good character guys are better in the long run

it's a team game and having stupid players will not make you a better team

Some players with issues are worth the risk, if the locker room has strong leadership, and the player himself actually delivers on the field. Fred rarely delivered for a sustained period of time for us, and I won't be sad to see him go. Great potential, useless brain.

I'm more interested in who will be coming in at tight end rather than who's going out. Gruden likes to use tight ends in his offence, and I don't think Reed, Paulsen and Paul are going to be anywhere near dynamic enough (Reed obviously is, but those concussion issues worry me).

This was a "great" article today to make Redskins fans really feel bad. Rich Tandler writes: "With the report that Fred Davis is facing a six-game suspension at the start of the 2014 season, the Redskins’ draft class of 2008 is total loss. That’s in large part due to the second round, where the Redskins chose three players from whom they got minimal returns—Davis (48th overall pic) and wide receivers Devin Thomas (34th) and Malcolm Kelly (51st). Here are five players they could have had instead:"

CB Brandon Flowers (drafted by Chiefs, pick 35 overall)—Flowers made his first Pro Bowl this year, an honor for which he was long overdue. He has started 87 games and has 17 interceptions.

WR Jordy Nelson (Packers, 36th)—He had more receptions as a rookie, 33, than Kelly had in his NFL career (28). Nelson has been a valuable target for Aaron Rodgers and is coming off of a career-high 85-catch season.

WR DeSean Jackson (Eagles, 49th)—You might note that this is one pick after the Redskins took Davis. Jackson would be of value to the Redskins as a punt returner alone, with his 9.9-yard average and four career touchdowns. That’s not to mention his three 1,000-yard seasons as a receiver, leading to three Pro Bowl appearances.

RB Ray Rice (Ravens, 55th)—Yes, the Redskins had Clinton Portis at the time, but it was clear that with his playing style he wouldn’t last forever. He is still a productive back while Portis has been retired since after the 2010 season.

RB Jamaal Charles (Chiefs, 73rd)—He’s been first-team All-Pro twice and, like Rice, he’s a threat as both a runner and receiver. Had Peyton Manning not had the season that he had Charles would have been a legitimate candidate for MVP in 2013. There are reports that the Redskins were strongly considering drafting him but someone decided to go with Kelly.

Dagger. Btw who do you think the "someone" was who decided to go with Malcolm Kelly over Jamaal Charles? lol.

there is ample evidence everywhere showing how badly we were managed and that there was no 'plan' in play at all ...

Such a shame in many cases that these athletes make it to the NFL, which you have to assume was their ultimate goal, and then make little effort to overcome the problems of being with a franchise with no management, and surrounded by players and coaches that don't help you become the best player you can be

some players can overcome these things but not too many

as far as what other players, who were 'available' and who 'made it' elsewhere - there is really no way that we could know that they would not have also 'failed' to live up to their potential if they were brought in to this mess that has existed here for so many years

so many players must have said - "thank God the Redskins did not draft me ... there but for the Grace of God go I"

must be very similar to what players also say about a few other franchises, like the Browns ....

we have to hope that this FO can make things work here ... the current state of the Redskins is not all due to having Mike not make anything of his opportunity ...

it's really the same old Redskins .... "wait until next season, we'll be a lot better ...."

we have to hope that the clear evidence that Dan Snyder put us in this position can be overcome by having a good FO, good scouting department and decent coaching

Let's be honest, nobody really expects the Redskins to do well. The Redskins average under 8 wins a season It's not the players or the coaches fault. It's time to get rid of Bruce Allen & change the way we manage this franchise

SkinsJock wrote:as far as what other players, who were 'available' and who 'made it' elsewhere - there is really no way that we could know that they would not have also 'failed' to live up to their potential if they were brought in to this mess that has existed here for so many years

There's a lot of truth in that obviously. Guys have the opportunity to do better in other situations, not playing for Jim Zorn, etc; The fact that Jamaal Charles was around in the 3d round means that 31 other teams missed on him. Most of them TWICE.

Having three second round picks though that year and not getting at least one decent player out of it? That's just insanely bad. I'm willing to bet if we had run a poll on this website, let all of us numbskulls vote on which players the Redskins should pick in the second round, and picked the top three, we would have hit on at least one guy. lol.

Anyway, water under the bridge. I just look forward to the day when Vinny Cerrato is an embarrassing historical footnote instead of a lingering reminder of why it has been so difficult to get our s*** together.

SkinsJock wrote:as far as what other players, who were 'available' and who 'made it' elsewhere - there is really no way that we could know that they would not have also 'failed' to live up to their potential if they were brought in to this mess that has existed here for so many years

There's a lot of truth in that obviously. Guys have the opportunity to do better in other situations, not playing for Jim Zorn, etc; The fact that Jamaal Charles was around in the 3d round means that 31 other teams missed on him. Most of them TWICE.

Having three second round picks though that year and not getting at least one decent player out of it? That's just insanely bad. I'm willing to bet if we had run a poll on this website, let all of us numbskulls vote on which players the Redskins should pick in the second round, and picked the top three, we would have hit on at least one guy. lol.

Anyway, water under the bridge. I just look forward to the day when Vinny Cerrato is an embarrassing historical footnote instead of a lingering reminder of why it has been so difficult to get our s*** together.

UNBELIEVABLE - and you're right - that stuff does not matter if Jay Gruden can pull these guys together and the FO finds a way to make some incredible additions here

we do have some good players to build around and we can only improve offensively and defensively from what we were in 2013

it's going to take time and as 'old' as that stupid refrain is - "we have to be patient"

Let's be honest, nobody really expects the Redskins to do well. The Redskins average under 8 wins a season It's not the players or the coaches fault. It's time to get rid of Bruce Allen & change the way we manage this franchise

Yet another reminder of just how bad things were under Vinny. We're still paying the price for it.

All we can do is look forward, though. There is a lot of football left in our other young players, and much to look forward to if we let our pros in the scouting department do their job, and listen to them.

"I’m never under the assumption that you draft for need. You draft the best available football player on the board. ... Because, in the long run, they are the ones who will help you win the most games." - Scot McCloughan

I posted on this thread last night and deleted it because I figured people wouldn't understand what I meant. As a generalization, I would say that both Kelly and Davis were worth the gamble at the time. We got Carlos Rogers through the draft with bad knees and he held up. Mcintosh same thing. I think if you draft guys like that and are willing to take a risk, try just one or maybe only do it if you are looking for depth only. Hindsight is a totally different scenario. Vinny sucked and he gambled. If it had worked out that all 3 were good, he still would be looked at as the pariah.

As far as Davis well, it didn't work out. I wonder if a class act like Joe would have straightened him out. Davis could get open and get a first down and take hits. I always liked ey better of course but it is what it is.

a player that makes bad decisions that affect his play and the guys he plays with is not a player any franchise should take a chance with

I really hope he's done ... he has 'earned his just reward' and I do not wish him any success in anything he does

Fred Davis is not an idiot - he's a loser and he deserves to treated as such

Let's be honest, nobody really expects the Redskins to do well. The Redskins average under 8 wins a season It's not the players or the coaches fault. It's time to get rid of Bruce Allen & change the way we manage this franchise